TR – Stevenson Canyon July 14, 2007

TR – Stevenson Canyon, Zion National Park, Utah July 14, 2007 Possible First Descent Tom Wetherell (Tucson, AZ), Blake Gordon (friend of Lin Alder), Tom Jones (Mt Carmel, UT)

Stevenson Canyon is the canyon that drops into the Right Fork of North Creek just upstream from the Grand Alcove. The original explorers of The Right Fork named the Grand Alcove “Stevenson Alcove” to honor Adlai Stevenson who had died a few days before the start of their trip. The name did not stick.

We were part of a larger 3-day trip to the Right Fork that also included Chris Avery, Tanner Avery, Lin Alder and Pearl. We got a crack-of-noon start at the West Rim Trailhead on July 13th, and proceeded down the West Rim trail to Potato Hollow. We followed the trail out the other side, but soon split off, following the meadow west, then climbed over a pass to end up above the south end of the Hammerhead. We circled around to the north end and made our descent from there. The easiest entry to the Hammerhead I have made so far.

The Hammerhead went well, and we were in the Right Fork in the late afternoon. We wandered downcanyon trying to stay out of the sun, and eventually came to the start of the pothole section. Some scrambling took us by a few potholes, and when we found a pretty good tank of reasonable (pumpable) water, we decided to make camp scattered on flat ledges and wash bottom where we could find it. I considered it remarkable to find a good supply of water after such an extended dry period.

In the morning, we proceeded downcanyon, soon coming to a short rappel off an arch, then a few other rappels, and a long rappel off a ponderosa log. The canyon was wonderful in the morning light. With only one brief swim and a couple waist-deep wades, we soon found ourselves out of the potholes and into the “normal” right fork.

At this point, TW, Blake and I split off to do the new canyon, while the rest meandered down the route normale. We climbed up the normal RF bypass route to attain the charming slickrock valley/chute above, then continued north onto the ridge to close to its beginning. A buttress of rock and dirt laying against the mountainside allowed easy (3rd/4th class) access to the slickrock pass. We climbed in the full sun and wilting heat, taking a 45 minute siesta just short of the top of the pass, under a tree.

Up and over the top, then down the other side, we followed watercourses to the dropoff into a very impressive canyon. Scouting the top, we saw a series of trees and ledges that would allow us down to the canyon floor. We chose a large tree at the top and rigged a rappel. I went first – 30 feet down at a small ledge with large tree. It seemed like pulling the rope past this second tree was an opportunity for disaster, so I left a sling and ring for the others to set a rappel with, and continued down. (This ledge was not really big enough for 3 people, and was in the full sun – thus the decision to not re-rig immediately). The rap continued past some ledges with sharp edges, and I continued 150 feet to a broken up area. The target ledge and tree were off to one side. After hauling up the rest of the 300 foot rope and restuffing in the bag; and having the boys at the top move the rope up 10 feet to change the wear point, I climbed up a bit and rappelled/downclimbed diagonally to attain the target tree and a nice ledge, thankfully just coming into the shade.

TW and Blake then rapped to the intermediate tree, re-rigged the rappel and rapped 150 feet to my ledge and tree. From there we rapped about 170 feet to the canyon floor, about half free rappel, half vertical. The floor of the canyon here was a rubble-choked couloir. 50 feet downcanyon, we rigged a pinch and made an 80 foot rappel down a dryfall.

From here, it was mostly pleasant walking down a sandy wash under giant ponderosas. Pretty nice, but not very exciting. Near the end, after making a turn to the Southeast, the canyon slickrocked up and became pretty nice, with hoodoos, potholes, alcoves and interesting features. We rapped about 80 feet off a log to get down a level, then again about 120 feet down through a slot and past a pool around a corner (very nice rappel). A final 80 footish rappel put us in the canyon bottom of the Right Fork an unknown distance above the Stevenson Alcove, where our friends may or may not have been waiting for us. Thankfully, the Alcove was but a short distance downstream, and our friends had decided that it was a camping spot too good to not stay at, so we rehydrated and swam in the pools to recover from our long day in the heat.

The next day we walked out without incident. Oh, except TW falling off the bypass trail to Double Falls, 20 feet onto a steep slope (on his pack), then tumbling another 15 feet (we thought he was dead, or majorly hurt) and somehow managing to not get seriously hurt, though he did tear up something in his shoulder.

Tom Jones Mt Carmel UT